Sound-recorder.



O. R. BORLAND.

I SOUND RECORDER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14, 1908.

Patented Feb. 9, 1909.

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C. R. BORLAND.

SOUND RECORDER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14, 1908.

91 1,937. Patented Feb. 9, 1909.

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UNITED STATES PATENT came .1;

CHARLES R. BORLAND, OF CONCORD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN POWDER MILLS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS;

SOUND-RECORDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 9, 1909.

Application filed February 14, 1908. Serial No. 415,831.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES R. BORLAND, of Concord, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Sound- Recorders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide an apparatus for recording the force of sound vibrations, such as those produced by the explosion of powder in a fire arm or in an explosive structure, such as a cannon cracker, the

, result aimed at being to determine the regucomprising a marker which is, freely movable by the force, of sound vibration and by its own momentum, a stationary record tablet over which said marker is movable by mo mentum after its motion has been started, and. n'ieansv responsive to sound vibrations for starting the movement ofthe marker, the marker producing an elongated mark or record on the record tablet, the length of which indicates the effective force or" the discharge.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specificat1on,l igure 1 represents a longitudinal section of an apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a rear elevation, the casing of the appa ratus being shown in section, Fig. 3 represents an enlargement of a portion of Fig. 1, showing a perforated septum in the soundconducting passage. Fig. 4 represents a side elevation of said septum. Fig. 5 represents a fragmentary enlargement of portions of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 represents a modification of the means for. supporting. and adjusting the, record tablet;

The letters of reference indicate the same parts in all. the figures.

For urposes of illustration, I have shown in-the dirawings the preferred embodiment of my invention, the same being described as to lows:

12 represents a diaphragm adapted'to respond to sound vibrations, and marginally clamped by a frame or holder 13 suitably attached to a casing 14. The diaphragm is or may be of the same material and construction as a diaphragm of an ordinary telephone receiver, and is preferably provided at its central portion with a hammer projecting from the rear side of the diaphragm, and composed of a steei face 15 and a shank or body 16 of wood or other insulating material, attached to the face and to the central portion or" the diaphragm.

I? is a sound conducting horninclosing a.

space which terminates outatrside the diaphrae 'freeiy vahle is employed, which preierably composed of a slender steei wire 18 which depends from a support elevated above the diaphragm, and constitutes a penduious marker, the movement of which is limited one direction by the diaphragm, the wire 18 being preferably provided with a spherical weight igpvhioh rests loosely against-the hammer when the marker rest, asshown by A movement of diaphragm caused by sound vibrations upon w ll set the marker in otion or start novement, the marker being free to move by its own momentum away from the dia-- phragm as indicated by" dotted lines in Fig. 1 a distance'dependent on the amplitude of vibration of the diaphragm and the force of the sound vibrations acting upon. it, the length of the movement of the marker being many times greater than the movement of the diaphragm. The support for the marker is preferably a drum 20, on which a portion of the wire is wound, said drum being rotatable in a hearing 21, with which it is engaged by friction or otherwise, so that the wire may be lengthened and shortened to raise and lower its lower end or acting portion.

22 represents a record tablet, which is supported as hereinafter described, below the marker, and. curvedin the arev of circle. conforming to the path of the marker the tablet being concave in the direction of said path. The tablet is preferably a plate of metal, which is a conductor of electricity,

- and its upper surface is prepared to receive a record by suitable means, such as a 111111 of carbon deposited upon its uppensurface by the action of smoke, this treatment being advisable when the record is produced by the action of an electrical spark, as hereinafter described, the marker being separated from the record surface by a spark gap. The

I is adjustable crosswise of the path of. the

vvening space.

marker, so that different parts of the surface of the-tablet may be presented to the marker,

thus enabling a plurality of measurable records to be made on the tablet, each record being separated from the next by an intercarriage 23, which is movable horizontally in the casing 14, and is provided with racks 24 engaging an elongated pinion 25 journaled in bearings on a base plate 26, which plate supports the casing 14. 'lhe pinion 25'is provided with a milled head 27, whereby it may be rotated to horizontally adjust the carriage and tablet. 'lhe carriage is preferably provided with means for vertically adjusting the tablet toward and from the marker, said means comprising screw threaded standards 28, on the upper ends of which the tablet 22 rests loosely.- 'lhe threaded portions of the standards 28 are enga ed with sockets in the carriage, and may lae raised and lowered by their rotation in said sockets, and secured by means ofnuts 29 engaged with the screw threads of the.

standards, and resting on the carriage. I 'lhe base pliate 26 is supported by afoundation 30, w 'ch is preferably a solid pier of concrete or masonry, the base plate having bear.- ing screws 31 resting on said pier. When the a paratus is constructed to form a record by t e action of an electric spark passing between themarker and the tablet, the said parts are made of material which is a conductor of electricity, and are included in an electriccircuit, which includes a battery 32" or other source of electrical energy, an induction coil 33 andacircuit closer 34, suitable conducting wires being provided to include the parts 32, 33 and 34 in circuit with the marker'and the tablet, as indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 1.

When the apparatus is to be 0 erated, the explosive to be tested is locate in suitable proximity to the mouth of'the horn, the cir.+ cuit is closed, and the explosive is fired. 'l he sound vibrations acting on the diaphragm move the marker away from the diaphragm,

The tablet is supported by a the movement of the diaphragm overcoming the inertia of the marker and causing it to move by its own momentum over the stationary tablet. At the same time an electric spark passes between the marker and the record tablet, causing the formation of a line let in position to receive the next record.

To reduce to the minimum any possible effect from the vibrations of the horn on the diaphragm, I make thehorn in two 'sections viz. a short inner section35, which is rigidly mounted adjacent to the dia hragm, and an elongated outer section 36, w ich is free from contact with the inner section, and is connected therewith by a flexible coupling 38, preferably a band or rubber. 'lhis coupling absorbs such vibrations as may be imparted to the main body of the horn by wind, the trembling of the building, etc.

'10 concentrate the sound vibrations on the diaphragm at points between its center and margin, I provide a fixed septum 39, which may be a plate of wood filling the interior of the horn in close proximity to the diaphragm, said septum having a circular series oforifices 40 between its center and margin, these orificesconcentrating the sound vibrations upon corresponding portions of the diaphragm, and thus increasing the effect of the vibrations upon the diaphragm, the orifices 40 being opposite the portionsof the diaphragm which are located between the center and margin of the latter.

I 41 represents a portion of the wall of a building or inclosure in which the apparatus is located, the inner sectionof the horn passin through the wall 41.

in Fig. 6 I show a modification of the tablet-sup orting means shown in Figs'.' 1 and 4, sal modification including an arm 42 pivoted at 43 to standards 44attached to the carriage 23, and. provided with a shorter arm 45 which bears against an adjustable stop screw 46 mounted ina bracket 47 affixed to the carriage. One end of the tablet. 22 is detachably engaged with a pin .48 on the outer arm 42 has a shoulder 49 against which one end of the tablet bears loosely. The opposite end portion of the tablet 22 rests upon vertically adjustable screw-threaded standards 50, which correspond to two of the standards 28, shown in Fig all and 2. An adjustment of the screw 46 raises orlowers the outer end of the arm 42, and varies the height of the portion of the tablet engaged with said arm. An adjustment of the standards 50 varies the height of the portion of the tablet resting on said standards.

To insure the location of the pendulous marker 18 at a predetermined point with relation to the diaphragm hammer when it is at rest, I provide a fixed stop 51 attached to a cross bar 52, which is secured to the diaphragm frame 13, and is adapted to bear against one side of the weight 19, and a movable stop 53 ivoted at 54 to said cross bar, and is movab e toward and from the stop 51 A spring 55 normally retracts the movable stop 53, and holds it against a flexible or elastic dia 'hragm 56, which forms one side of an air cliamber 57 supported by the cross bar 52, the movable stop 53 having a plate or head 58 which bears loosely against the diaphragm. 59 represents an elastic compressible bulb connected by a flexible tube 60 with the air chamber 57. When the weight 19 gravitates against the diaphragm hammer, it is liable to oscillate loosely in a direction transverse to the plane in which it is moved by the diaphragm. To prevent this transverse oscillation, is the object of the stops 51 53 and the pneumatic mechanism above described, the stop 51 being arranged in close proximity toone side of the weight 19 when the latter is in the exact predetermined osition relative to the hammer. The movab e stop 53 is adapted to be forced yieldingly against the weight 19 by the compression of the bulb 59, to press theweight against the fixed stop 51, and thus bring the weight and the marker to a condition of rest. When the bulb is released, the tracts the movable stop 53, caving the weight free to be displaced by the previously described action of the diaphragm.

I claim:

' 1. A sound recorder comprising a marker which is movable by its own momentum, a normally stationary record tablet conforming to the path of t e marker, and means responsive to sound vibrations fol starting the movement oi the marker. i

2. A sound recorder comprising a freely movable marker, a normally stationary record tablet over which said marker is movable by its own momentum, and means responsive to sound vibrations for starting the movement of the marker in one direction, the marker being movable by gravitation in the opposite direction.

3. A sound recorder com rising a marker movable freely in opposite irections, a nor mally stationary record tablet cooperating with the marker, and a diaphragm which limits the movement of the marker in one direction, the marker being movable from the diaphragm and independent! thereof by its own momentum, and move le toward the diaphragm and independently thereof by gravitation.

4. A sound recorder comprising a marker spring 55 re movable by its own momentum, normally stationary record tablet, means for effecting a lateral adjustment of one of said parts to separate the recordson the tablet, and means responsive to sound vibrations for starting the movement of the marker, relatively to the tablet.

5. A sound recorder comprising a marker movable by its own momentum, a normally Stationary-record tablet, means for adjusting one of said parts toward and-from the other, to vary the distance between the tablet and marker, and means responsive to sound vibrations for starting the movement of the marker.

6. A sound recorder comprising a marker movable by its own momentum, a normally stationary record tablet, means for adjusting the tablet crosswise of the path of the marker to present different parts of its surface to the marker, and thereby separate the records on the tablet, and means responsive to sound vibrations for starting themovement of the marker.

7. A sound recorder, comprising a marker movable by its own momentum, means res onsive to sound vibrations for starting the movement ofthe marker, a normally stationary record tablet, a carriage supporting said tablet, and movable crosswise of the path of the marker, and mechanism for movmg said carriage to present different parts of the tablet to the marker, and thereby separate the records on the tablet.-

8. A sound recorder comprising a marker movable by its own momentum, means responsive to sound vibrations for starting the movement of the marker, a normally stationary record tablet, a carriage sup orting said tablet, and having means for a justing the tablet toward and from the marker, and mechanism for moving the carriage to present different parts of the tablet to the marker," and thereby separate the records on the tablet.

9. A sound recorder comprising a pendulous marker movable by its own momentum, a diaphragm which limits the movement of the marker in one direction, a normally stationary concave record tablet under the marker, and means for raising and lowering the marker to vary its. distance from the tablet.

10. A sound recorder comprising a marker movable by its own momentum, a normally stationary record tablet over which the marker is movable, and from which its terminal is separated by a spark gap, said marker and tablet being of conducting material, means responsive to sound vibrations for starting the movement of the marker, and means or sending an electric current through the marker and tablet to producea record on the latter.

11. A sound recorder comprising a pendulous marker movable by its own momentum, a diaphragm adapted to start the movement of the marker, anormally stationary concave record tablet under the marker, the said tablet and marker being of conducting material, and means for sending an electric current through the marker and tablet to produce a record on the latter.

. 12. A sound recorder comprising a pendulous marker movable by its own momentum, a diaphragm adapted to start the movement of the marker, a normally stationary concave record tablet under the marker, the said tablet and marker being of conducting material, a source of electrical energy, and an induction coil in circuitwith the tablet and marker, and means for breaking and closing said circuit.

13. A sound recorder comprising a diaphragm having a hammer affixed to its central ortion, a pendulous marker having a weig t normally resting by gravitation against said hammer and separable therefrom by momentum, and a normally stationary record tablet operatively related to the marker.

14. A sound recorder comprising a diaphragm, a pendulous marker normally restmg by gravitation against the diaphragm and separable therefrom by momentum, and means adjacent to the diaphragm for bringing the marker to rest in a predetermined position.

15. A sound recorder comprising a pendulous marker, a diaphragm which limits the movement ofthe marker in one direction, and is adapted to move it in the opposite direction, a fixed stop arranged in close proximity to one side of'the marker when the latter is at rest, and means for pressing the marker against said stop.

16. A sound recorder comprisin a pendulous marker, a diaphragm which imits the movement of the marker in one direction, and is adapted to move in the opposite direction, a fixed sto arranged in close proximity to one side of tile marker when the latter is at rest, a movable stop which is movable toward and from the fixed stop and normally retracted from the latter, and pneumatic means for forcing the movable stop toward the fixed stop.

17. A sound recorder comprising a pendulous marker, a diaphragmj'whichlimits the movement of the marker in one direction, and is adapted to move it in the-opposite di rection, a fixed stop arranged in close proximity to one side of the marker when the latter is at rest, a movable stop which is movable toward and from the fixed stop, and normally retracted from the latter, an air chamber, one side of which is com osed of a flexible diaphragm against whic the movable stop is normally held, and means for forcing air into said chamber.

18. An apparatus for the pur ose stated, having means for utilizing soun vibrations to produce a record of their amplitude, said means including a normally stationary tablet, a diaphragm, and means responsive to Vibrations of the diaphragm for producing on said tablet an elongated measurable record, the length of which is determined by and is greater than the amplitude of the said vibrations.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES R. BORLAND.

Witnesses:

0. F. BROWN, 1?. W. PEZZETTI; 

